With administration of fluids, encouragement to drink water, and some pain medication for his distress, he got through this episode.

In the next month, he deteriorated for energy level, mood and interest in his toys. He also lot interest in going outside. He is a ferrel cat and he used to demand to go out as soon as night fell. He also stopped grooming himself. Previously, he immediately groomed after anyone touched him. He was fastidious and proud. In a human, one would describe his symptoms as depression or chronic illness. It was a dramatic and remarkable change in mental status in a middle aged cat.

We returned to the vet last month and brought “before” photos showing his attentive eyes, ears standing proud and his beautifully maintained fur. Photos in October showed a distressed furry gent with tired eyes and an empty stare.

Because of his remarkable and rapid change, and weight loss of 1/2 pound, our vet considered and tested for both feline AIDS and feline lukemia. Both tests are negative. Blood tests are unremarkable for calcium and phosphorous balance and urine was of satisfactory PH, but we weren’t given the results. We were told blood was “normal” but when we demanded a copy, eosnophils were high, out of range. We proactively dewormed him last month after this finding.

Our fur friend has improved over the last three weeks, once we decreased his feeding, tried to get him eating raw meat and eggs and anything other than his favorite hard food. This caused him a renewed interest in hunting mice. He’s a stray we took in who thrived on what he could catch.

He used to be really clever before all this. He had figured out how faucets worked, examined cabinets, tried to work lever door knobs and pretty well had a lot figured out. He was close to understanding how light switches work.

Even with his improvement, he is not as smart as he once was. He’s much less independant than before and frequently comes for comfort. That is totally out of his nature for him as a ferel cat. He used to be quite vocal if his food dish was getting low. Now he is less concerned. He’s more patient at the door. He used to come meow and show us he needed the door open to let him out. Now he just waits until we’re passing by.

I’m wanting to know about other side effects of this toxic stuff. I haven’t read much about pets who got past they dying phase. I want to know if other pet owners lucky enough for their fur friend to survive Menu Food and Iams, have observed mental decline even though current testing is “unremarkable”.

I also want to hear about those who have pets taken ill from pet foods prior to the recall.

Our vet is not connecting the dots. At our visit last month, I explained that if altering protein assesment with melamine was done starting November 2006, it had to be common practice earlier at lower levels and for a number of protein products and practiced prior to the recalls. She insisted it was “only wheat gluten” effected. She ranted the party line about commercial food being the only safe nutrition for our cat. I explained he had been a carnivore for most of his life and saw no reason to think a meat diet would be detrimental. Our vet was not up to speed and not thinking, even though she had attended cats who died consequent to this poisoning. Of course, food sales is a major part of recurring sales.

I have some of the food that made our cat ill in August. Is there anywhere I can get it tested for melamine?

Comment by Pat — May 4, 2007 @ 1:31 am _________

The above quote pretty much says it all…doesn’t it. Thanks, Pat. This is a most profound moral issue, and it is national.

We, as Americans, let this all slip up on us, as we were going about our busy lives. We used to be able to count on “those in power”…or so we thought…when we were blissfully “dumbed and numbed down”…as Steve described it.

This is an American and global crisis, and no one wants to call it that…except those, who are taking responsibility for their lack of awareness…those who have suffered needlessly at the hands of the morally deficient global corporations. How dare they do this to our most precious family members! How dare they do this to us…those who trusted blindly…those who believed in America!

I do not feel any food is safe at this time. No, it may not kill humans right away, but it may cause cancer, kidney disease, etc. Who wants to die slowly…who wants to think they are nourishing their bodies, while they are being poisoned? Our pets have already died, while we fed them foods we trusted…some faster than others. Some are still ill.

I am very angry, and I feel this is a national crisis. It is going to get worse, and if we do not continue to speak out…we are as morally deficient as those who are poisoning us. God help us!

I consider every single person, who is speaking out a hero…no slight thing. Praise God for all of you!

This bears repeating: “The moral progress of a nation can best be judged by the way it treats its animals.” - Mahatma Gandhi

Michelle and all those, who are fighting an illness, may the “Force Be With You.” May the Force (God) Be With Us All, as we continue to fight for our lives.

One of my feline herd was effected by the tainted food. We used Iams pouches. Luckily, just an increased kidney value. Lots of SQ fluids and many, many follow up blood tests!

This is my first time posting on here. I would like to thank everyone for providing all the comments and facts. I check daily to see what’s going on. I’ve been in the animal business for over 13 years and I think I’ve learned more here.

Keep up the good work everyone.

I know you can not and will not prescribe treatments here, and I am not seeking that.

I know there is risk with increasing fluids beyond certain levels, hence I am going to negotiate with my own vet.

What I want to know is: Based on the “be patient and continue giving fluids” is, in general terms, how much fluids and how often…

If you don’t care to post a reply because someone *might* take it upon themselves to use that as their prescripted treatment, then use my e-mail: glathe@starqst.com

Though I would like to know the numbers when I talk to the vet, any additional vet info I can have her evaluate would be helpful. I have the ones already listed here, and she has been dedicating some time to keeping up, but I am pretty sure we are her only clients with a potential tainted food case… lucky for her, and for the neighborhood, I guess…

Agreed. Nikki’s disappearance is really freaking me out.
Thanks, Nabiya, for offering to check for us.

Mars Petcare US sources its corn gluten from domestic sources and not China, and its brands, do not include any rice protein or wheat gluten from the foreign suppliers linked to the recall.

So, they do source rice protein and wheat gluten from China.

Thanks,I know many have worried.

Just got Dr. Hodgkins phone number and spoke to Susy, her assistant. Susy said she noticed the same thing about Howl911. Dr. Hodgkins isn’t in the office today, but Susy will get the message to her asap to contact Nikki. I asked Susy to also ask Dr. Hodgkins to post a comment on Pet Connection once she finds out what’s going on.